Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday August 11, 2025 at 7:00 PM
At South Hero Town Hall and via Zoom
Board Members Present: David Carter/Chairman, David Lane/Vice Chairman, Skip Brown/Board Secretary, Steve Robinson, Anne Zolotas
Board Members Not Present: none
Others Present: Sue Arguin, TA + Kim Julow, Treasurer. Also see sign in sheet. *Attendance SB 2025-08-11-2025
1. Called to Order:
– The meeting was called to order by Chairman David Carter at 7:00 pm.
2. Adjustment to Agenda:
– none
3. Minutes:
-Steve Robinson made a motion to approve the minutes of July 28, 2025. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Steve Robinson made a motion to approve the minutes of August 5, 2025. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. Chairman Carter thanked Anne Zolotas and Butch Maxham for the repairs of some missing roof slate and clapboards from the Old South Hero Meeting House building.
B. Note that the meeting was “Zoom Bombed” with pornography, so the Zoom portion was stopped and re-started with a waiting room. The meeting continued uninterrupted.
5. New Business:
A. Jessa Berna of Stantec and Dean Price of NRPC were present to discuss the Featherbed Lane/Apple Island Resort Safety Concerns Scoping Study. See the attached presentation * South Hero Featherbed Lane Local Concerns Presentation. After reviewing the slideshow and attached document, the floor was opened up to local concerns. Here is a synopsis of the public’s comments. It was also recorded by LCATV for a full transcript:
-Mark Naud has owned property in the area and stated that there have been fatalities in the vicinity of the study area. Speeds are too high and change depending on the direction of travel in the congested area. Cars frequently disobey the posted speed limit of 40mph. He feels that cross walks should be installed.
-Joan Falcao suggested that variable, seasonal speed limits that would be lower in the busy summer season. Also, sidewalks on the south side should be considered.
-Justin of Haycorn Hollow agrees that speeds are too high and crosswalks are necessary. He feels that there are too may blind spots around the curves. Would turning lanes be appropriate?
-Pierre LeBlanc, owner of the Sandbar Restaurant also feels that speeds are too high. When cars slow to turn into the parking lot, traffic behind slows suddenly and may pass on the shoulder.
-Ron Phelps agrees that 2 crosswalks and a sidewalk should be installed.
-Steve Robinson feels that commuters and others speed by when the ferry unloads or upstream construction allows traffic to go, they then speed by without consideration of the conditions.
-David Carter noted that when Featherbed Lane was reconstructed the sight-lines were improved. He feels that 2 cross walks and flashers when pedestrians cross should be considered.
-Taylor Lawrence, Assistant Manager of Apple Island Resort feels that traffic volume is higher than stated in the summer months. When RV’s wait to turn into the campground, traffic backs up. He feels that speed reductions are necessary and better signage should help.
The purpose of this meeting was to get input. The consultants will now work up potential solutions and present them at a future meeting for public input sometime in the fall of 2025. A final report will then be presented.
B. Treasurer Kim Julow previously asked the Board to consider hiring a part time bookkeeper. She feels that we should consider this request during the budget cycle.
-The Auditors finished last week. They suggest setting up some account safeguards.
-The Bond Anticipation Note (BAN) previously approved was signed by the Board.
-The Local Option Tax (LOT) was about $12,205 for the last quarter.
C. The former Lavin Property should be mowed. The Town looked into buying a pull-behind “batwing” brush hog style mower that an existing Town owned tractor can pull. For now, the Town will hire the mowing of the fields and will look into a mower for the future.
6. Town Administrator (TA) and Zoning Administrator (ZA) Reports:
A. See the ZA report attached *
B. Sue Arguin stated that the Northern Borders grant paperwork was presented and the Town can proceed with filing for a grant.
-The State has asked that the strobe function on the speed limit signs be turned off.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. There are no updates re: ACT 181 mapping and Village Center designation.
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. none at this meeting
9. Other Business:
A. Steve Robinson made a motion to sign the orders 26-04 and have the Treasurer pay the bills as presented on the orders. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. Town Clerk/Treasurer updates: see above
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: See https://southherovt.org/rec/ for more info.
D. Road Department update: The lowest paving estimate is $77.00/ton and the paving work is being scheduled.
-The contract from Elite Construction will be revised and payment schedule confirmed. Once that happens it will be signed. Surplus funds in the highway department account will be used for these repairs.
-There was a discussion about the Town “throwing up” the small section of Kibbe Farm Rd. that it now controls. For now, no action will be taken.
-The former fire tanker truck is still sitting by the Town Garage. It will be advertised for sale on various platforms.
E. Lister Updates: The Town wide re-appraisal process will begin soon and a letter will be sent to homeowners when inspections will begin in their area.
F. Lavin Property updates: There will be future long range planning of what the Town will do with this property in addition to the wastewater aspect. A public forum will be scheduled to get input.
G. Town Hall Committee update: See https://southherovt.org/town-office-building-committee/
H. Tree Warden Update: None at this meeting
I. Anne Zolotas made a motion to go into executive session at 8:58 to discuss personnel matters. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. A motion was made and approved to end the Executive session at 9:12 pm. Upon exiting the executive session, David Carter made a motion to approve supplementing the Town employee salaries that were raised 3% with an additional 3% from funds in the existing budget.
10. Adjournment:
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to adjourn at 9:20 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown, Secretary David Carter, Chairman
For a video of the meeting, see: www.lcatv.com
August 11, 2025 ZA’s report to the SB
1. The Zoning Office will be closed on Thursday, August 14 and Monday, August
18. I will be out of town but will be checking my email while I’m away.
2. I cleared away the grapevine on the east side of the Town office building last
week. The vines had started to climb the screens and infiltrated the heat pump
units, but I was able to get them cleaned out before the fans were affected.
Planning Commission
The August 6 PC meeting was canceled due to a lack of a quorum. The next meeting is
August 20 at 6PM at the Town Office. The commission will continue to discuss
clarifications in the Development Regulations, including clarifying definitions of “average
natural grade” and “pre-construction grade.”
Development Review Board
1. The DRB’s site plan review hearing for the proposed Town Park is scheduled for
this Wednesday, August 13 at 7PM. The Town is listed as the Applicant. Will
there be a Selectboard member attending to represent the Town?
2. Matt Reed is finalizing the site plan for a required review process before the
Development Review Board. Required reviews are for conditional use and site
plan. I anticipate scheduling a hearing for early Fall.
3. The Board’s next meeting is August 13 at 7PM at the Town Office.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA